Player Poll: Women Of Influence

Share on social media

To celebrate Women in League Round we asked the game's current stars about the women who got them to the top and those that help keep them there...

Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers)

My missus (fiancé Sarah) and my mum, they do everything. My missus cooks every night, does all the little things. You win or lose, sometimes you get beaten by 50, but at the end of the day you still go home to them. They're probably the biggest supporters I've got.

At times the missus goes out with her friends and I can't go because I'm at home icing my legs or committed to footy. I miss weddings we're involved in but at the end of the day she comes to everything I do for rugby league, same as my mum. They put me first before anything else so I can't thank them enough.

Trent Merrin (Panthers)

My mother has been the biggest influence on my rugby league career. She's been there since day one taking me to footy matches, early morning starts, dinners every night, listening to me whinge when I'm sore and then she's always there to pat me on the back when I'm upset.

Agnatius Paasi (Titans)

I've got four - my mum, my partner and my two grandmas. My grandma Valini got us playing union first. Me and my twin brother Rodney and my little brother, we started playing union when we were probably 10. We were living in Ponsonby in Auckland and she took us down the road to the Ponsonby Ponies and put us in and ever since then we started playing footy.

She passed away when I was probably 14 but she played a massive part in us starting off playing footy and then mum took us through the junior grades and into college. My partner Chloe has also been an inspiration to where I have come from, telling me to give it one more shot. She has been a blessing.

Jason Clark (Rabbitohs)

Definitely my mum and my wife. My mum hasn't missed many games. She's been unbelievable. My mum used to film all my junior games so on a Sunday afternoon, I'd get home and watch the game over. All you could hear was her cheering in the background which was awesome.

On that same topic, Crown Resorts have donated their sponsorship spot on our jumper for Ovarian Cancer Australia and Crown are also donating money to the foundation as well, so it's a big positive for us as a club and our jumpers.

Alex Glenn (Broncos)

My mother by far. She raised my brother, my sister and I. She was always dedicated to our sports and drove me to where I needed to go. She's at every single game.

Last year she went to all of my away games so she's still supporting me as much as she can.

My mother was definitely my greatest inspiration growing up and she put everything towards my success and my siblings' success. She wanted us to succeed in whatever we wanted to do.

Taane Milne (Dragons)

That's an easy one, it's my mum. She's always been there for me since day one. She was always driving me around, cooked, cleaned, everything. She still does it now which is pretty good (laughs) and she's strict which is always good because she's always worried about me.

Josh Mansour (Panthers)

I've got a few. Obviously my mother, she pretty much raised me on her own for most of her life, and she's always been by my side whenever we need anything. My fiancé as well (Daniella) she's always motivating me and pushing me to always better myself as a person, not only as a footy player, but also off the field.

I'm very grateful to have her in my life, and I'm getting married to her in two-and-a-half months. I also have two younger sisters who have always supported me, so I've got a lot of women who are very important to me.

Kevin Naiqama (Wests Tigers)

I'd have to say my mum. Growing up, my parents got divorced at a young age, and my mum has always been the rock and the backbone of our family. She never liked to show when we were struggling.

She'd always work overtime for us to make sure we had the best lives possible. I'm glad I'm in a position now where I can support her financially and give her anything she needs.

Kyle Turner (Rabbitohs)

I couldn't pin it down to one. I'd say there would be numerous. My mum, my partner. They have always pushed me to be the best I can be and they always believed in my dream.

My partner is the best thing that has ever happened to me. She was there every step of the way (when a spine injury threatened Turner's career) and never once pushed me to go back. She was just very supportive throughout the whole ordeal.